Gone are the days of a tiny RV refrigerator that will hardly hold a weekend's worth of food for the family. Today, many RVs come with full-size refrigerators, including accessories like water in the door and ice makers. When you upgrade your RV refrigerator, look into replacing it with a larger, more powerful refrigerator that still uses less energy than old refrigerators. Many new models use energy more efficiently and are that much easier on your budget.

Most RV refrigerator manufacturers have the dimensions of their refrigerators (even the older models) online, so you can match a new fridge to the existing opening in your coach. When you upgrade your RV refrigerator, you'll not only be surprised at how much more fridge will fit into the existing space, but you'll be wowed at what fancy options you can get to make RV food storing a lot easier. So, if your current RV refrigerator is too small and inefficient, check into upgrading your RV refrigerator right now!

You have a couple of choices when thinking about replacing RV washers and dryers. You can buy a combo unit that washes and dries in one unique appliance or a stackable unit with a separate washer and dryer that stack on top of each other. Which one you choose will depend on the space in your RV, your personal taste, and your budget.

Combo RV washers and dryers fit into the space of a small washer and are smaller than traditional washers and dryers. Because of their size, you have to do more loads more often. Combo washers and dryers are usually fairly slow, too, so it could take you all day to do several loads of laundry. These combo units begin on wash mode and then cycle into dry mode, doing everything in one compact unit.

Stackable RV washers and dryers take up more space because the dryer stacks on top of the washer. They are usually a little bit bigger than combo units and will do bigger loads. They are also quicker than a combo. However, the dryer may be too high and difficult to reach for some people, and they may not fit in all RVs.

RV washers and dryers are a necessity that many RVers simply wouldn't do without. If you're considering full-time or long-term RVing, then check out RV washers and dryers so you'll know what's available besides the laundromat.

RV dishwashers can make life easier, but none of them match up to the dishwashers you're used to at home. RV dishwashers can be built-in if you have a big enough RV kitchen, but even those built-in models are smaller than your home dishwasher. Some are only big enough to do four place settings at a time, so if you have a big family, it may take several loads to do a day's worth of dishes.

There are also countertop models that fit in an area about the size of a microwave and have many options, such as food grinding and sanitizing, just like the larger models. In many cases they do a decent size load, but certainly not as large as a home dishwasher; and again, they may do as few as four place settings, which doesn't help the big family as much.

Remember, you need to have enough water and power to run your dishwasher. Before you invest in RV dishwashers, make sure you can power it with your RV and that your RV water tank is big enough to handle the loads you'll be doing.

Probably the easiest way to replace your RV ice maker is to do so with a free-standing portable ice maker that you can carry with you when you need it and leave home when you don't. Many of these portable ice makers can make more than 20 pounds of ice at a time. Quite a few are created solely for RVs—they use much less energy and water than traditional portable ice makers.

Some of these ice makers can also be installed permanently if you want the convenience of ice whenever you travel. They are about as easy to install as a traditional ice maker and can be installed by your local Camping World service center. Camping World has several models to choose from so you're sure to find the right RV ice maker for your particular needs.

RV cooktops are one of the easiest things to replace. Most simply drop into your already existing cooktop space. All you have to do is hook up the gas or electric system and make sure the cooktop is venting properly ... and you're ready to start cooking. Most RV cooktops run on LP gas, but there are some that are sealed electrical units, just like the glass-top stoves that are so popular in many home kitchens.

Whatever RV cooktop you choose, be sure to check on the installation instructions before you go about replacing it yourself. If you're not comfortable working with the gas lines in your RV, it's best to have a professional install your RV cooktop just to be safe. That way, you'll be sure the cooktop is hooked up right and is venting properly and safely. Check to make sure the dimensions of your replacement RV cooktop are the same, because all RV cooktops are not created equally! Some are bigger than others and may not fit inside the dimensions of your current cooktop.